"The runways really are the leading indicator for where the industry is going," Boujarwah continues. The spring 2020 shows boasted the largest number of curve models, and the number of styles in extended sizes at retailers have gradually increased, peaking to current-day inventory, she adds. "Our analysis shows that there's a two-year lag between the number of plus-size models coming down the runways in New York City and what the average consumer can buy at an everyday retail location," says Boujarwah. The repercussions are twofold: unattainable beauty ideals are poised to negatively influence the next generation and how they perceive their own bodies, and a lack of runway representation could detrimentally impact extended sizes offered in retailers, leaving an entire market unseen and underserved. "Some of that is because we do treat body types as trends, and it could be pushback - again, consciously or subconsciously - to the past several seasons of body diversity." "If we're mining the Y2K era for inspiration, the body aesthetics of that period might be consciously or subconsciously being emulated as well," McCall muses. And that was evident this season, with some critics even taking note and calling out the dangers of a very "in" skinny look. It isn't quite a reach then that the concern with the return of Y2K fashion is inextricably linked to a very specific body type - and thus, an unhealthy approach to achieving that look. Image Source: Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images / Victor Virgile Getty | Piero Biasion Victor VIRGILE Daniele Venturelli Peter White and Photo Illustration: Aly LimĪ model walks during the Miu Miu spring 2022 show at Paris Fashion Week. It signaled the revival of Y2K fashion, an era that was particularly punishing for women's bodies, so much so that eating disorders inadvertently became threaded into the zeitgeist. McCall traces it back to the Miu Miu spring 2022 show that sent ripples of shock across the industry - and pop culture writ large - with its parade of ultra-low-rise, micro-mini skirts. "Our society intrinsically still operates around weight bias, and in some ways, these dynamics have fanned the flames of weight bias in a way that's allowed this to really explode." "The conversation on social media changed - there's a focus on this new skinnier body type," she says. And unfortunately, in the past six to nine months, that's regressed."įor Boujarwah, so much of that comes down to the content we're all consuming. "In the previous five years, we moved to a healthier dialogue around women's bodies. Now, we're seeing the reverse," says Nadia Boujarwah, cofounder and CEO of Dia & Co., a platform that since its inception in 2015 specializes in styling and providing plus-size clothing (in sizes 10 to 32) from a stable of brands that range from Girlfriend Collective to Carolina Herrera. "The reality is that fashion, like other industries in the arts, is a reflection of social discourse - when social discourse became more inclusive, fashion became more inclusive. Getty | Piero Biasion Victor VIRGILE Daniele Venturelli Peter White and Photo Illustration: Aly Lim After so much progress on body inclusivity, it feels like the industry is backsliding. It dipped in the following seasons due to pandemic-related concerns (virtual runways, canceled shows, production issues), but the fall 2022 season saw an uptick, with a new record of 103 plus-size appearances, or 2.34 percent of total castings.Īnd that's why the fall 2023 season at NYFW proved to be immensely disappointing - a contrast stark enough for showgoers to sit up and take notice. Before the pandemic hit, the spring 2020 season had the most plus-size models on the runway, with 86 castings, according to The Fashion Spot's diversity report. All of this indicated that brands were, finally, prioritizing representation, buoyed by headline-making articles for doing so. The momentum seemed to continue to gain traction: every season thereafter saw more diverse body types, sizes, and faces on the runway, evidently ushering in an era that promised to be more inclusive.
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